The present invention relates to a protective device, and in particular, to a protective device for protecting an interface means, for example, a read and/or write head or a pin connector of a read and/or write unit of the type in which the interface means is provided for reading and/or writing data to or from a data carrier, such as, for example, a floppy disc, an optical disc, a data cartridge unit or an integrated circuit chip of the type which, for example, stores computer games and the like.
In this specification the term read and/or write unit is used to include at least the following within its meaning, an optical disc drive unit, for example, a music compact disc player and/or recorder unit, a CD ROM read and/or write drive unit, a floppy disc drive, a tape drive unit, for example, a magnetic tape drive unit, such as, a tape cassette player and/or recorder unit, or a tape cassette read and/or write unit, a data cartridge tape drive unit, and a read and/or write unit of the type adapted to read and/or write, but in particular to read an integrated chip in which a computer game is stored. The term interface means is used in this specification to mean any type of interface which interfaces with a data carrier in a read and/or write unit for reading from and/or writing to the data carrier. Such interface means would at least include a read and/or write head, which may be a magnetic head or an optical head, or a combination of both. Such interface means would also include a pin and/or socket connector for connecting to a corresponding pin and/or socket connector of an integrated circuit chip of the type on which a computer game is stored. Such read and/or write units typically are provided with a receiving area for receiving the data carrier which may be, for example, a floppy disc, an optical disc, a tape cassette or a data carrier tape cassette, or an integrated circuit chip housed in a housing with a pin and/or socket connector. The interface means, typically is located in or adjacent the receiving area for interfacing with the data carrier for in turn reading and/or writing data to or from the data carrier. Such read and/or write units may be suitable for receiving data carriers on which the data is stored in digital and/or analogue form and may be for music and/or computer data, or otherwise.
Such read and/or write units are well known. As discussed above, the interface means, typically, a read and/or write head or a pin and/or socket connector are located in or adjacent the receiving area for receiving the data carrier. In general, the read and/or write head of such units, or pin and/or socket connector are relatively fragile components and are easily damaged by, for example, shock and the like. Additionally, if the interface means of such read and/or write units become soiled with dust or dirt, in general they become inoperable. Because of the construction of many such read and/or write units, dust and dirt can readily easily collect on the interface means, and in particular, can collect on the interface means when the read and/or write unit is not in use.
While cleaning devices are known for cleaning read and/or write heads of such units when the read and/or write units are operational, there are no protective devices which satisfactorily protect the read and/or write head when the read and/or write unit is not in use. In particular, there are no protective devices which satisfactorily protect the read and/or write head from dust and/or dirt when the read and/or write unit is not in use.
There is therefore a need for a protective device which protects an interface means of the type hereinbefore defined of a read and/or write unit of the type hereinbefore defined from dirt and dust when the read and/or write unit is not in use. It is also desirable, that the protective device should protect the interface means from shock when the read and/or write unit is not in use.
The present invention is directed towards providing such a protective device.